Updates on P-EBT, Online EBT Purchasing and SNAP interviews

We are sending two eblasts this AM.  The first are updates on P-EBT and online EBT purchasing. The second eblast will include two organizational sign-on letters:  One to the MA Legislature (House Leadership) on the MA SNAP Gap campaign; one to Congress on the next pandemic package. 

Note, there is NO SNAP zoom call tomorrow. Next SNAP Zoom call is Tuesday, June 9^th at 10AM.  We will be doing SNAP Coalition meeting every other Tuesday for the next two month.

P-EBT Update:  

DTA issued the second batch of P-EBT benefits on 5/28/20 to roughly 213K SNAP/cash households last week – benefits put directly on the household’s EBT cards.  Additionally, last week Conduent (the EBT vendor) also shipped out special P-EBT cards to thousands of Massachusetts children identified as free/reduced-price eligible by their local schools. Families likely have those cards in hand now.  Families not on SNAP or free/reduced-price meal status can still apply for SNAP or for school meals (thru through local school districts) and receive partial P-EBT benefits.

Pinning: We are hearing that many families are confused about how to PIN the P-EBT card.  For each P-EBT card, the family needs to use the child’s date of birth and the last 4 digits listed in a notice the family was sent previously (not an SSN).  It is critical the family find and use the DTA notice sent.   Note - P-EBT recipients can use the benefits for EBT online purchasing as well (see below).

Non-receipt of card: If a family did not receive the P-EBT card and has moved (e.g. the school district had an old mailing address), the family can call Project Bread Food Source Hotline about their new address (however, best to wait until later in the week as the Hotline is inundated with calls right now).  The P-EBT mailing envelopes had the DTA Central return address (600 Washington Street, Boston); DTA is developing a plan to resend the undelivered P-EBT cards at a later date. 

SNAP application process update:

DTA is continuing to waive SNAP application interviews through June for most new SNAP applications – unless information is questionable.  DTA received a temporary USDA extension of the interview and other waivers. Thank you DTA for requesting an extension! 

Online EBT purchasing now available to MA SNAP and P-EBT households:

DTA recently received approval from the USDA to join the EBT online purchasing program. The online purchasing went live on May 29th. See announcement below. To help spread the word, DTA has launched a new website: Mass.gov/SNAPonline. The website contains a one-page flyer (English/Spanish, more languages to come), FAQ (English/Spanish), sample social media posts and more.  

What you need to know about online EBT as of today:

·         Online EBT purchasing is currently limited to Amazon and Walmart – a USDA limit (not a state/DTA limit). 

·         DTA has confirmed that both SNAP and P-EBT can be used for online purchases.

·         Additional retailers can apply to join the online purchasing program in “phase 2” but will need to meet the steep online EBT retailer requirements, listed on USDA's website. Remember, SNAP is not the same as other types of electronic payment transactions.

·         Making an online purchase through Amazon or WalMart does not guarantee delivery. For example, we have already found that many parts of MA cannot schedule any Amazon Fresh deliveries and families can only order shelf-stable products; and most of the WalMart purchases appear to require curbside pickups.

·         SNAP EBT cannot be used for delivery fees nor any non-food items – such as paper goods, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene.  Customers need to have another form of electronic payment to pay for those items (and DTA cash benefits cannot be used at this time). 

·         If you are aware of any retailers that sought to join the online EBT purchasing program and were rejected by USDA, please let MLRI know.

·         If you are aware of SNAP households unable to make a successful EBT online purchase, unable to schedule a curbside pickup after purchasing food, or are seeing unusually high food prices, urge households to contact their Member of Congress to push USDA to expand the retailers available to participate in this program. Let MLRI know what you are seeing.

Again, NO SNAP Coalition Zoom Meeting tomorrow AM.  Next SNAP Zoom meeting is June 9^th at 10 AM. Look for details in email later in the week.